Reflecting on the UC Application

After having the weekend to take a much-needed breather, I wanted to reflect on the process of filling out the UC application and what I would do differently if I had the chance.

Academics: considering my academic background spans several countries, it was difficult (and frankly, internally frustrating) to input my marks which followed a completely different grading system. Filling out the TAG application previously, however, definitely helped with getting through this section, since I could simply sync up the grades I entered for TAG with the UC Academic History section.

Tip: if you are going to be applying to UC and are eligible for TAG, you should be able to cruise through this section, having filled out the TAG application in October.

Activities: here I could really let my extracurricular involvement shine. My biggest tip if you are a first-year student is: take advantage of the many clubs and co-curriculars as early as you can! My Ukrainian high school did not have clubs at all -- there was no formal process to found a club on campus and interest groups fell apart pretty quickly as a result. This led to a pretty large gap in my involvement during my high school years, but I supplemented this with the leadership positions I hold at my community college now.

In Ukraine, the college admissions process is pretty one-dimensional. Did you do well in your classes and receive high scores on the ZNO (college entrance exam)? Yes? Alright, welcome to _______ University of Ukraine! Filling out the UC application was a welcome change, since it opened me up as an applicant beyond my transcripts, but it also created the expectation that extracurricular involvement or volunteering was readily available.

Tip: don't rush through this part -- think long and hard about your involvement beyond academics and put it all out there. If you have another year or more before applying, now is the time to get involved! Think about your major and your passion (though for many these may be in the same ballpark, when I'm talking about passion, I mean a hobby which you wish you could have more time for outside of academics) -- and start off with two clubs, one that aligns with the major you are pursuing and the other which mirrors your passion outside of your career path.

For me, it was Business Leaders Society (entrepreneurship and business) which fulfilled my academic interests and the Green Team (environment-focused club) that reflected my passion for environmentalism and animal welfare. Later on, I founded College Leap at Irvine Valley College to support a community I deeply cared about -- international students. It allowed me to learn about the leadership style I naturally exhibit (and how to tweak it to be a better one) and connect students with transfer resources.

Personal Insight Questions: do NOT gloss over these. This section is paramount for the more competitive UCs and is your chance to show that you are more than just your transcripts. Since I'm a transfer student, I answered the required prompt (preparing for my major) and three additional questions (I chose: leadership, creativity, and greatest challenge). For the required question, I chose a creative approach, writing it in the form of a letter. For the latter three, I went the more traditional route, beginning with an anecdote, followed by a specific situation in which I embodied the prompt, and concluding with my takeaways / future trajectory.

Tip: Assess your strengths and choose prompts accordingly:

- Were you heavily involved on campus / off campus as a volunteer? (leadership, making your community a better place)

- Did you work throughout your time at CC to provide for your family? (greatest challenge)

- Did you have a hobby you were actively pursuing while in CC? (creativity)

Additional Tip: Unless you are absolutely stumped by the other questions, I wouldn't go with the last prompt ("what sets you apart as an applicant"). It is very broad and unless your answer is one that is completely unique to you (as in, one in a million people share your experience), I would recommend to focus on a topic-based prompt. Also, by choosing to answer the last question, this may indirectly send the message that you couldn't find a way to answer the other prompts (e.g. you don't express your creativity or you haven't taken the steps to make your community a better place). You can take this with a grain of salt (as you should with any advice), but this was echoed by several counselors and transfer alumni that I consulted with.

My biggest takeaway? START EARLY. I wish I could go back to August and say - start now. Take small steps, get your ideas down on paper. Though I enjoyed writing my essays and received a good amount of feedback, I could've alleviated some of the added stress of the upcoming deadline. Ask your friends (especially those who were successfully admitted to your top choices) and professors for feedback. Family is, by nature, very subjective, and though having relatives' support is amazing, try to seek out tougher critics with an eye for detail. Once you've written, edited, received feedback, and revised -- check in with yourself. Do you love what you wrote? Check. Does it open you up from many sides, not just academically? Check. Does it represent you and what you believe in? Check. Once you've ticked off these three boxes, you are all set.